Brandon Ingram is becoming a more vocal leader for the Lakers

Brandon Ingram is becoming a more vocal leader for the Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram is known for being relatively soft-spoken but according to teammates, that’s not always the case.

Ingram, 20, is entering his second NBA season and one of the most tangible differences might be his leadership. Here is what rookie guard Lonzo Ball noticed about him (via Serena Winters):

“He’s very vocal now, I didn’t think he talked that much, but he definitely talks a lot on the court.”

It’s no surprise Ball assumed Ingram didn’t speak often. CBS Sports had described him as a “quiet, creative” basketball phenom. But in an article for The Players’ Tribune, the former Duke star wrote that he was no longer the “skinny, quiet” kid when he was at the gym even though that’s how people knew him off the court.

Note that Magic Johnson said that while former guard D’Angelo Russell was a great player, he was looking for a leader. Johnson added that the Lakers are “used to” having great leaders.

As such, it’s no surprise Winters also asked Ingram about his leadership qualities heading into the upcoming season:

“That’s also a big year for this. I feel very comfortable talking to these guys and trying to lead by example.”

It’s an important distinction that just because he may seem to have little to say during interviews, it doesn’t take away from his presence on the court.

Ingram will be a fascinating player to watch as he continues to grow and mature for Los Angeles.

Bryan Kalbrosky

Bryan is an NBA writer for HoopsHype and was the editor for USA TODAY SMG's Rams Wire blog. He has published with FOX Sports, Noisey, Bleacher Report, LA Weekly, Huffington Post and various other publications. bryan.kalbrosky@gmail.com.